Astrologer Teri Parsley Starnes welcomes you to the Starsdance. I invite you to join me in contemplating the wonder of sky and Earth. Through following the Moon, the planets, and the wisdom of the seasons and signs, my goal is to offer a useful practice of mindfulness and intention for the thoughtful seeker. Shall we dance?

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Sunday, July 1, 2012

Follow the Moon: July 1, 2012 - July 7

Forecast for July 1, 2012 – July 7

Stand anywhere on this earth and let your attention go deep, straight down through the core of the earth, out the other side and into the sky under your feet—this is the sky of the fourth house in an astrological chart and it represents home, hearth, kin, the deepest anchor we have to our deepest selves. While standing in that place, look up above you at the highest part of the sky, notice how you just might soar into that sky, going ever higher and higher—this is the tenth house of our aspirational selves, where we want to achieve, manifest, and create social order. This axis from deep self to public self will be activated this week by a Full Moon in Capricorn.

Imagine how important both of these areas of life are to you and to everyone else standing on this earth, and we begin to sense just what each of us is capable of doing to bring security and safety to those places. This is core to the deep motivations for both Capricorn and its opposite sign, Cancer. So essential are these areas of life, wars are waged to protect them. Big stuff, right?

Just like anyone, I can get caught in whirlpools of fear and anxiety when I think about the protection of my family or my right, not only for meaningful work, but societal systems of government and economics that support this meaningful work. Is it possible to care deeply about these things without getting caught in fear and reactivity? That may be a challenge this week as the Sun in Cancer and the Moon in Capricorn join with the square of Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Aries.

Fear is temporary. Joy is eternal.

I admire people who refuse to bury their heads in the sand but also don’t cave to their fears. These people dare to choose lives of joyful authenticity. They manage to find the sacred in the fourth and tenth realms of life and do whatever they can to support the sacred all around them. We have planetary allies at this Full Moon who support us in finding this joy but we will be challenged to hold ourselves to that intention. These allies are a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in Gemini that are sextile to Mercury in Leo.

Before the sun rises on July 3, the day of the Full Moon, Venus can be seen in the constellation of Taurus, right between the horns of the bull. Jupiter is only a few degrees above Venus adding its brilliant light. These planets are a clarion call to embrace beauty and abundance.Mercury, the god of doorways, is preparing to station retrograde in a few weeks and is potently holding open a door for us to welcome in our creative gifts.

These planets, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury form an aspect configuration with Pluto, known as a Yod. This grouping creates a tension between its disparate parts forcing us to find resolution. The primary resolution I see is between the need for security and our birthright of joy and creativity. Perhaps flipping back and forth between fearfulness and joy, we find creative ways to live in possibility.

Sunday, July 1. The Moon is waxing to its Full phase. The expansive and philosophical qualities of Sagittarius lead the way. Where are the new frontiers in your life? Take an adventure to expand your point of view, even if only to a different neighborhood in your town. Relieve pressure by taking some kind of action. Get moving and see what happens. Today, Mercury reaches the degree where it will come back to conjoin the Sun on July 28. This is the degree of the doorway that Mercury holds open for us. What doorways are opening for you?

Monday, July 2. When the Moon moves into Capricorn this afternoon*, things take a more serious turn. And there is nothing wrong with that! Notice what matters most to you. This is a good area to apply your focus and attention. You choose: The focus could simply last for as long as the Moon is in Capricorn (till Wednesday evening), or you could find in this Full Moon phase a long-term commitment to dedicate yourself to. Open to these messages.July 3—Full Moon: Illuminating. The Sun in Cancer is opposite the Moon in Capricorn today very close to the ongoing square between Pluto and Uranus. Another pressure point is reached. However we are encouraged by Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury to dare to lead authentic, joyful lives even when we experience this pressure. The key is to embrace paradox and not slip into black and white thinking.

A welcome shift today, Mars finally leaves Virgo where it has been since November 2011. We’ve learned valuable lessons while Mars has forced us to slow down, pay attention to the details, look at our health, and set higher expectations. However, if you’ve also experienced frustration in these areas, you might notice a lessening of stress. Although Mars is not always comfortable in Libra, it is as least a change!

I have a quote by Joseph Campbell on my wall: “Beauty invokes, the sublime shatters.” Venus is square to Chiron this week and may be felt strongly at this Full Moon. The goddess of beauty meets the wounded healer. The offering they make is to become shattered by the sublime as we keep our hearts open.

Wednesday, July 4. Independence Day in the U.S. The Moon moves into independent Aquarius tonight reminding us of the freedoms our country purports to value. Venus and Mercury make delightful aspects to Uranus, the co-ruler of Aquarius, in support of authenticity and freedom. After the tensions of the Full Moon, grab onto the hopefulness present today. Change is possible.

Thursday, July 5. Revolutionary zeal continues today as the Moon joins the encouraging aspects of yesterday. We are still in the illuminating phase of this lunar cycle. If the Full Moon highlighted the energies of Pluto, reminding us of the toxic systems that need regeneration in the arena of security, the transits of today and yesterday are highlighting the giddiness of revolution. It is good to make changes after a long period of stagnation. We may be feeling that release today.

Friday, July 6. A day to drift and dream. Most of the day, the Moon is void of course, where it can feel like not much is happening. Then the Moon enters watery Pisces right before bedtime. Dreams tonight offer a revelation or healing.

July 7—Disseminating Moon: Sharing. Did you learn something from your dreams last night? Try not to lose track of it during the day. If we are to make changes in our world, that are sustainable, just, and vital, every one of us needs to contribute to the body of wisdom. It isn’t important to understand the big picture right now, but to trust that we each have something really important to share; and that piece comes from the heart.